Starting out as a delicatessen, Paddington Alimentari quickly grew into a busy Italian cafe for locals and lucky out-of-towners to visit. With its dark grey shop front, you might not notice this popular spot on William Street, but it's definitely worth sniffing out. The glass counter is filled with freshly baked fare — from fluffy quiches to croissants and stuffed baguettes. If you have time to sit down, order a bowl of pasta or a fresh salad and dine outside. And just like any good Italian delicatessen, it also has display case filled to the brim with cheese, ham and a range of olives — so you can make your very own charcuterie board at home.
Break out the Wensleydale! Following in the footsteps of the massively popular Pixar and DreamWorks Animation exhibitions, the latest show at Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image pays tribute to the studio behind stop motion's most iconic duo. Originally created for the Art Ludique – Le Musée in Paris, Wallace & Gromit and Friends: The Magic of Aardman is ACMI's contribution to this year's Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series. The delightful exhibition features more than 350 objects, including props, models, storyboards, concept art, photos, clips and behind-the-scenes interviews. It's a comprehensive survey of the history and creative process of the beloved animation studio, whose clay creations have charmed audiences for more than 40 years. Naturally, the exploits of Wallace and Gromit take centre stage. You can see the rocket the pair took to the moon in A Grand Day Out, admire the veggies growing in Gromit's carefully tended garden, and shake your fist at early character sketches for the dastardly Feathers McGraw. There's also an entire section dedicated to cracking contraptions that's sure to get your imagination working overtime. But there's much more to Aardman than what goes on at 62 West Wallaby Street, Wigan. From Creature Comforts to Chicken Run to the deeply unsettling Angry Kid, the exhibition leaves no stone unturned. You can even get a glimpse at a number of the studio's more memorable commercials and music videos, including their groundbreaking clip for Peter Gabriel's 'Sledgehammer'. Frankly, we could have spent all day exploring the exhibition. But for those of you who might be short on time, here are five things on offer you absolutely have to see. THE ORIGINS OF WALLACE & GROMIT Early sketches reveal the secret history of Gromit and his eccentric owner, who it turns out was originally a postman named Jerry. Doesn't quite have the same ring to it, does it? Reckon we can all agree creator Nick Park dodged a bullet there. THE CHICKEN RUN FLYING MACHINE A key model from Aardman's first feature-length film, the flying machine is a bizarre contraption born of hard work and a belief in the impossible. In that way, it is the item that best exemplifies the spirit of the studio itself. THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS PIRATE SHIP Admittedly, the flying machine is somewhat overshadowed by what is inarguably the piece-de-resistance of the ACMI exhibition: the five-metre-high ship from The Pirates! Band of Misfits. So impressive is the model that you could be forgiven for thinking it's about to sail off at any moment. MAKE YOUR OWN CLAYMATION Fancy yourself the next Nick Park? Then why not try making a short animation of your own. Visitors will get the chance to mould a colourful clay character, before bringing them to life frame-by-frame. They say it's meant for kids and families, but don't let that stop you. AN EARLY LOOK AT EARLY MAN Round off your visit with a behind-the-scenes look at what Aardman are up to next. Due for release in early 2018, the prehistoric Early Man features the voice talents of Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston and Maisie Williams, and looks like an absolute blast. Wallace & Gromit and Friends: The Magic of Aardman is showing at at ACMI from June 29 until October 29. Images: Charlie Kinross.
RISING 2025 keeps inching closer, with the Melbourne music, art, culture and architecture festival set to take over the Victorian capital across Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 — and it isn't done adding to its lineup just yet. How do you close out 12 jam-packed winter days, not to mention an event where you could be playing mini-golf in Flinders Street Station Ballroom one moment, then enjoying Pakistani R&B and Punjabi rap the next? With a literally underground five-hour gig that's making Melbourne history. The fest has announced Track Work — Music From the Underground, which will take audiences to a brand-new location. Feel like you've seen live tunes at every venue in the Victorian capital there is? You haven't headed 20-plus metres below St Kilda Road to the yet-to-open Anzac Station for a gig before. First Nations label BAD APPLES MUSIC is behind the event, with Briggs, BARKAA, Birdz and Jayteehazard on the lineup. Headline sets, DJs, MCs: they're all on the bill at this daytime concert, which is running from 11am–4pm on Sunday, June 15. Also huge: the fact that admission is free. Alongside the entertainment, Track Work doubles as a chance to take a self-guided walk-through of the station — and to see Tracks, the new public artwork from Victorian First Nations artist Maree Clarke, which features the fur seal and fairy penguin among other animals that live in Bunurong / Boonwurrung Country's coastal climes. "Track Work is a uniquely Melbourne moment — a chance to experience two of the most important, original and charismatic voices in music in this country. Briggs, BARKAA and their BAD APPLES MUSIC family will reveal one of the city's most significant new spaces with a baptism of bass and beats in a free afternoon of DJs, MCs and celebration," said RISING Co-Artistic Director Hannah Fox, announcing the event. "As a powerful finale for RISING, we're thrilled to partner with Metro Tunnel Creative Program and BAD APPLES MUSIC to create something bold, fun, unexpected and unrepeatable." Also on the RISING lineup, as previously announced: a free installation by a teamLab alum, exclusive Suki Waterhouse gigs, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Yasiin Bey with Talib Kweli, Portishead's Beth Gibbons, Aotearoa favourite Marlon Williams, Olivier-winning hip-hop dance work BLKDOG, Zoë Coombs Marr's new variety show, a film retrospective dedicated to Miranda July, Tropical Fuck Storm playing The Forum, Melbourne Art Trams' latest iteration and much, much more. [caption id="attachment_1005634" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Isaac Turier[/caption] Track Work — Music From the Underground takes place from 11am–4pm on Sunday, June 15, 2025 at Anzac Station, Melbourne, with entry via the Domain Road and Albert Road station entrances. Entry is free but booking is required via the festival's website. RISING 2025 runs from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 across Melbourne. Head to the event's website for further information.
The annual Parramatta Lanes festival returns for its eighth year this month, bringing the finest eats to the streets of the west. The Paramatta palooza will include 14 themed laneways, more than 50 food stalls and six pop-up bars. The food lineup will feature many Sydney favourites and lots of sweet and savoury treats. It's far too extensive to list in its entirety here, but highlights include Frencheese's oozy raclette and crowd favourite Koi Dessert Bar, which will be set up at St John's Cathedral. Plus, one of the best laksa makers in town Temasek is popping up in the Roxy Car Park. Butter will dish out its famed fried chicken from the rooftop of the Eat Street Car Park, which will also be home to three epic events: a giant Pac-Man maze, Bingo Loco (that's bingo, but reinvented as a party, with conga lines, dance offs and comedians) and a 90s club. When it comes time for a drink, choose between a six different bars, including Monkey's Corner. Beyond eating and drinking (and trying to elude those multi-coloured ghosts), festival-goers can enjoy live music, dance workshops and performances, art installations with a focus on sustainability and roving theatrical performances. Parramatta Lanes runs from Tuesday–Thursday 5–10pm and Friday 5–10.30pm. Images: George Gittany UPDATE: OCTOBER 10, 2019 — Duo Duo Ice Cream will no longer be at this year's Parramatta Lanes. The above article has been updated to reflect this.
International headline acts are fun and all, but if you like your festivals with a little more adrenaline, this one's for you. The inaugural Seal Rocks Adventure Festival is crashing onto the mid-NSW coast later this month. Descending on Seal Rocks Treachery Camp, about 90 minutes north of Newcastle, it's set to deliver a weekend of hands-on blood-pumping fun over the weekend of May 17–19. The program of this boutique BYO camping festival is jam-packed full of activities, balancing out an after-dark schedule of live tunes and film screenings. By day, you'll have the chance to battle your mates in an interactive game of Archery Attack, learn some new moves in a circus skills workshop, go deep with a free-diving short course, and flit between rock climbing, surfing, slacklining, yoga and zorbing — yep, this one involves crashing around a field in a giant bouncing bubble. There'll be a disco-themed 'doofercise' workout class to kick things off each morning, classes to teach you how to start fire with just a couple of sticks, and an ongoing challenge to see who can fit the most humans on a giant stand-up paddleboard. Booze is BYO, but vendors like The Perfect Paella, Dr Drool and Tim's on Treach will have pop-ups to help fuel your adventures — and a restaurant will pop-up on the Saturday night for a four-course Saturday feast. Or, you can boost your own cooking skills at a pizza making class. By night, there'll be moongazing tours and campfires, while the stage heats up with local acts like Thunder Fox, The Regime, Elaskia and Belle Badi. And if you're after more inspiration, there's the Adventure Film Festival, emceed by Alice King in the Talking Tent each night. Adult camping tickets clock in at $340, which gets you an entry pass, a campsite and access to as many of the weekend's activities as you can handle. Groups of mates and families are welcome, and capacity is capped at 500. There are glamping and cabins options, too, for those who want a little more comfort at the end of a long day of adventuring (and have extra cash to spare). Seal Rocks Adventure Festival will take over Seal Rocks Treachery Camp on May 17–19. Tickets start at $340 and can be bought over here.
The Paper Mill is somewhat of an experiment. A little taster of what the City of Sydney is capable of when it puts its arts grass roots boots on. And yet here is the catch — the council is not The Paper Mill. Rather, The Paper Mill is led by a committee and a board of directors, all of whom are living, breathing, volunteering artists. And they need your help! Before The Paper Mill officially launches on Tuesday 7 September they require a few extra dollars to whiten those walls and polish those windows. So what better way to lend a hand than by lending an ear and an eye to two massive midweek nights of music and performance. Here is the drill: Day 1 | Oxford Art Factory Wednesday 25 August 2010 7.30pm – 12pm A stellar line-up with Lucy Hall, Eye to Eye, Bird Automatic, Dara Gill and The Paper Scissors. Get your $15 tickets now at Moshtix or $18 on the door Day 2 | The Paper Mill Thursday 26 August 2010 6.00pm – 9.30pm A theatrical performance spectacular at The Paper Mill with Scott Sandwhich, Zoe Norton-Lodge, Sam Pettigrew, Friends with Deficits and Zoe Coombs-Marr. $12 on the door (with a generous discount for your charity if you attend both nights!) Once up and running The Paper Mill will be a festival of paper with an exhibition space dedicated to paper-based works, a library chock-full of local and international zines, workshops and classes as well as a studio residency program. And the best thing of all? It is an artist-run gallery in the city. No hidden agenda. Just there. And if there is one, then that is only just the beginning.
Many Hands (previously named Popup Ethical) will be launching their new concept on May 9 with a nasties-free pop-up restaurant at the Paddo Uniting Church. For one evening, you can forget all about unknown supply chains and unethical manufacturing practices. That's because everything you'll see, taste, smell and hear will have been handcrafted, handmade and/or organically grown. The event is promising a truly multisensory experience, with tapas created by chef Steven Zielke, tunes from muso Sten Pittet and live art conjured up at the hands of Sally Reynolds. Plus, there'll be an array of photographs, bespoke fine jewellery, ceramics, textiles and floral arrangements. The Many Hands team is bound by a love of "entertaining and ethical gourmet food" and have been bringing their magic to various Sydney pop-ups, including two sold-out evenings at Good Food Month. $20 will buy you two tapas plates and the freedom to wander as you wish, while $50 will purchase a five-course sit-down feast and a beverage of your choice.
UPDATE: APRIL 1, 2020 — This event was originally scheduled to take place between May 19–31, but was rescheduled due to government restrictions related to COVID-19. Reading all seven of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books in 70 minutes? Not even Dumbledore himself could conjure up that kind of magic. Seeing the entire saga play out on stage in the same amount of time, with room for a quidditch match too? Well, thanks to Potted Potter (the Unauthorised Harry Experience), that's another matter entirely. If you don't have the time to reread your favourite novels, are looking for a quick refresher before the new Fantastic Beasts film hits cinemas in 2021 or would just like a brief wander through the entire story for the fun of it, then this comedic production has you covered. The show was created by double Olivier Award Best Entertainment nominees Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner in 2005 — and has been touring ever since. In it, the two performers relive the wonder of the boy who lived and recreate the terror of He Who Must Not Be Named — and whiz through it faster than you can say "accio books!" (or almost that fast). And, if you somehow still have no idea what all the Harry Potter fuss is about, consider this the ultimate primer. Of course, Potted Potter is a parody, so it comes with plenty of laughs when it returns to the Seymour Centre in June 2021. Evening shows will run Tuesday to Saturday, with additional afternoon shows on Saturday and Sunday. Best to book in advance because the show's previous trips to Australia have sold out. Images: Scott Joe.
Word on the street is that Thursday nights are the new Friday nights. Don't believe us? Just ask Little Cooler, the rock-and-rap-inspired dive bar from the Maybe Group, now host to CTRL ROOM — a free-entry series of DJs spinning tunes from 8pm to 1am, every Thursday. Curated by E1 Collective, the weekly series promotes the diverse and upcoming talents in the DJ world, mixing everything from R&B, hip hop, funk and afrobeat to Latin rhythms and house on the decks. The rotating roster will feature a mix of resident and guest artists — keep an eye on the bar's socials to check out each week's lineup. In addition to pregaming for your weekend, pregame for the night itself with happy hour specials from 6–7pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Weekend happy hours run from 7–8pm, and 'Hospo Hour' is daily from 12–1am for those just knocking off (or kicking on). Little Cooler's red neon-lit bar and newly extended opening hours (1am during the week; 3am on weekends) make it the perfect place for music heads and hospo crews alike. Expect good tunes, strong drinks, and the kind of energy that keeps you dancing 'til close. CTRL Room will take place at Little Cooler every Thursday night from 8pm to 1am, entry is free. Visit the Instagram page for more details and weekly lineups.
If you've been longing for years to see opera on Sydney Harbour, but haven't yet managed to scrape enough cash together to buy a ticket, here's your chance. On Easter Saturday, Opera Australia will be selling seats at the current show — La Boheme — for just $45 a pop. To get your hands on one, all you have to do is turn up at the box office at 2:30pm, wearing something a little bit French (i.e. a beret, a sailor's shirt or a scarf covered in croissants). Note that the box office is at Mrs Macquaries Point, not the Opera House. 400 tickets will be up for grabs, so, if you get there early, you should be in with a good chance. Each Francophile can buy up to two seats, to be used on either Saturday or Sunday night. Once all of the $45 bargains are snapped up, tickets will be $99. Of all the operas in the world, La Boheme, written by Giacomo Puccini, is among the most performed and accessible. Premiering back in 1896 at Teatro Regio (the Theatre Royal) in Turin, it tells the story of painter Marcello and poet Rodolfo, who live in poverty in Paris. The duo put their art before financial stability, as well as their tumultuous relationships with their lovers, Mimi and Musetta. If the story sounds familiar, you might know it from the rock musical Rent, which is loosely based on La Boheme. The Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour production transports the tale into the romantic, lamplit, snowy streets of 1960s Paris. Expect some enchanting surprises, including falling snow, fireworks and balloon-borne children. Image: Prudence Upton.
As 2014 comes to a close, its time to tackle the inevitable question, 'What on earth am I doing for New Year's Eve?'. Less than a month out, Cargo's annual NYE on the Harbour festivities are selling faster than ever. Sure, Cargo might not be your weekly go-to, but this year's NYE lineup — topped with some of Australia's best beatmakers — is a legitimately solid option for a killer night. With the likes of Hermitude, Crooked Colours, Hayden James, Yolanda Be Cool and a mystery DJ set to hit the stage, this dance party is a safe bet for the final hours of 2014. Festival favourites Hermitude, fresh off their US tour, will be headlining the night of nights with their famous hip hop electronica blend. Chuck in the hard synths from Crooked Colours' recent single 'Come Down' (scoring over 250,000 Soundcloud hits), and the up-and-coming spins of Hayden James (returning his tour across the States alongside RUFUS), NYE on the Harbour will deliver its annual dose of good vibes to bring 2015 in with a bang. Image: James Ambrose.
Chinatown is set for a major revamp, after a plan to upgrade the beloved Sydney precinct was unanimously supported by the City of Sydney. The plan includes a $5-million investment to reinvigorate Dixon Street Mall, restoring the area's famed red gates, upgrading amenities and improving support for events. "Our community in Chinatown was one of the first and hardest hit by the pandemic, and it continues to suffer while international tourism and study has not yet fully returned," City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore says. "While we have been safely activating public places and inviting people back to experience all Chinatown has to offer since COVID restrictions were eased, we're excited to ensure its long-term future by reinvigorating Dixon Street as a dynamic space for people, daily life and culture." Among the other plans for the precinct are improved street lighting, expanded trading hours for local businesses, increasing the number of activations, more al fresco dining and more public art — all of which the City of Sydney hopes will help improve nightlife and foot traffic in the area while maintaining the reasons people adore Chinatown. [caption id="attachment_706664" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cole Bennetts[/caption] Over 1000 residents and businesses were consulted on the proposed plan. Contributors pushed for a restoration and refreshment of the area that would reflect its rich diversity and support Chinatown's renowned congregation of affordable restaurants and retail outlets. "We know an overwhelming majority of our residents want the diverse culture in Dixon Street preserved while increasing outdoor activities like alfresco dining and special events as part of the long-term vision for the precinct," Moore continued. "Our precinct activation grants have already facilitated events like the fabulous Neon Playground and we will continue working hard to draw people to and celebrate this wonderful and important precinct." This investment in Chinatown will go hand-in-hand with the transformation of the neighbouring George Street. The bustling main road has been converted from a space occupied predominantly by bumper-to-bumper traffic into a pedestrian-friendly thoroughfare fit for outdoor dining and expansive outdoor events. For more information on the City of Sydney's upgrades to Chinatown, head to the council's website. Images: Katherine Griffiths
Streaming platforms have become one of modern life's certainties, with new instances continuing to pop up all over the place. In fact, this year along will see two huge players giving Netflix, Amazon and the like a run for their money — not only Apple, which will release Apple TV+ in the second half of 2019, but Disney as well. First revealed last year, Disney+ will boast a swathe of high-profile content, including new Star Wars and Marvel TV shows, plus all of your favourite Disney animated movies in one place. Now the service has announced a US launch date of November 12, as well as "plans to be in nearly all major regions of the world within the next two years." Just how long viewers Down Under will have to wait is yet to be seen; however given the array of titles heading to the platform, here's hoping it's sooner rather than later. With Disney recently merging with competitor Fox, Disney+'s US range is hefty — not only spanning Disney, Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar, but National Geographic and the entirety of The Simpsons, too. During its first year of operation, it's due to release more than 25 original series and 10 original films, documentaries and specials. And, to make its catalogue available from US$6.99 per month, in both HD and 4K, and "on a wide range of mobile and connected devices, including gaming consoles, streaming media players and smart TVs". [caption id="attachment_689920" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Marvel Studios[/caption] In the Marvel sphere post-Avengers: Endgame, new series Loki, WandaVision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier will all focus on their eponymous characters — Tom Hiddleston's trickster Loki, Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff and Paul Bettany's Vision, and Anthony Mackie's Falcon and Sebastian Stan's Winter Soldier, with all of the actors retaining their roles. A Hawkeye series with Jeremy Renner is also in the works, as is animated program Marvel's What If…, which'll take inspiration from the comics of the same name, asking the titular question about important Marvel Cinematic Universe moments. Fans of Star Wars can not only look forward to the $100 million live-action series The Mandalorian from The Lion King, The Jungle Book, Iron Man and Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau (and with Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi helming an episode), but look forward to it soon — it'll launch when the platform does in the US. Also zooming to screens from a galaxy far, far away is a spinoff from Rogue One about Diego Luna's Rebel spy Cassian Andor. Set before the events of the film, it — like all of Disney+'s big-name series — will also feature the star reprising the character. Elsewhere, two new Toy Story-based projects — animated short series Forky Asks a Question and one-off short film Lamp Life — are on their way, well-timed to hit after the release of Toy Story 4. If you just can't let it go, a Frozen 2 making-of special will also feature, about the sequel headed to cinemas later this year. And, because everyone loves Jeff Goldblum, National Geographic's The World According to Jeff Goldblum will involve the actor delving into the fascinating stories, science and facts behind seemingly familiar objects. Going big when it comes to bringing the company's well-known properties to the new streaming platform, a High School Musical TV series, another show based on Monsters, Inc. and a live-action Lady and the Tramp movie will also be on the bill. On the classic front, Fox titles like The Sound of Music, The Princess Bride and Malcolm in the Middle have been named as part of a lineup of more than 7500 television episodes and 500 films — alongside "the entire Disney motion picture library" according to CEO Bob Iger, which should be available "at some point fairly soon after launch". Viewers can also likely expect Disney and Fox's recent flicks to be made available on Disney+, and for subsequent cinema releases due to hit the service within a year of their big-screen release. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrXNtj84owc Disney is also reportedly contemplating buying a bigger stake in existing streamer Hulu according to Variety, which would give it full control over that platform. Like the timing of Disney+'s international rollout, just how the purchase might affect the company's new service hasn't been revealed. In Australia, a big batch of the aforementioned existing Disney content is currently available on Stan, spanning both movies and TV series — but you can reasonably expect that that arrangement will be impacted by Disney+, whenever it does finally hit locally. Top image: Marvel Studios.
After the mild let down of last year's supermoon, you could be forgiven for not engaging in the hype of major celestial movements. But last night's total solar eclipse didn't disappoint astronomers, token stargazers and brazen US presidents alike. The eclipse wasn't visible from our part of the world, instead passing over the the US — starting over Oregon in the west and finishing over South Carolina on the east coast. As the name suggests, a total eclipse is when the sun is completely obscured by the moon. This is a pretty rare event — Time and Date says that, on average, it takes about 375 years for a total solar eclipse to happen again in the same place — so, naturally, everyone turned out to catch a glimpse. NASA live streamed the event, The Weather Channel live tweeted the lead-up to totality, and even Donald Trump stepped out of the White House to look directly at the sun. Yes, he did that. Someone: don't look into the ec- Donald trump: pic.twitter.com/71wpDiwPr1 — sarah (@sarahburhans_) August 21, 2017 So while we wait for a solar eclipse to pass over Australia — the ABC reports that the next one will take place in 2028 and will pass directly over Sydney — here's some of the most epic images from last night's total solar eclipse. Only 11 years to go. A post shared by Getty Images (@gettyimages) on Aug 21, 2017 at 11:51am PDT A post shared by Reuters (@reuters) on Aug 21, 2017 at 1:44pm PDT A post shared by NASA (@nasa) on Aug 21, 2017 at 2:03pm PDT Amazing composite images capture the moon during a previous total solar eclipse, shot by Czech photographer Miloslav Druckmüller #Eclipse pic.twitter.com/LAHenYm2Qi — sobore (@sobore) August 21, 2017 PHOTO: TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE 2017 from Green River Lake, WY. I truly think I had the most beautiful spot in the whole path. More photos soon. pic.twitter.com/jLDBMHJJU4 — Ben Cooper (@LaunchPhoto) August 21, 2017 Timelapse: Total solar eclipse brings darkness to Oregon. https://t.co/q3jBRYgob2 pic.twitter.com/MgESS6odoW — ABC News (@ABC) August 21, 2017 A post shared by NASA (@nasa) on Aug 21, 2017 at 3:57pm PDT Top image: Wikimedia Commons.
Fast-expanding hospitality collective The Point Group is adding a spacious Greek restaurant and bar to its far-reaching catalogue of Sydney venues that already includes the beloved Dolphin Hotel, the multi-storey venue Shell House and the soon-to-open Fort Denison wine bar and restaurant. Topikos Dining Room and Bar will open on Campbell Parade from Thursday, April 14, offering traditional Greek spreads. "We're staying true to Greek cuisine, calling on traditional recipes, cooking techniques and flavours, combined with incredible Aussie produce we're presenting our contemporary take on classic Greek dining," says The Point Group's Culinary Director Joel Bickford. "At the heart of the menu are the essentials; an olive oil program and house made pita, a simple base to build out our menu from." The menu takes full advantage of the restaurant's seasonal produce and both the charcoal grill and woodfire ovens that you'll find in the kitchen. Meze plates are a big part of a menu that is built to encourage shared dining, with other exciting additions including souvlaki, king prawn saganaki, feta and sweet pepper filo pie and gyros made with that in-house pita. As with all of The Point Group's venues, the drinks list is a main feature and not an afterthought. "We want to create the very best quality wine and cocktail bar whilst embracing the bohemian spirit of Bondi," says restaurateur Brett Robinson. Accompanying an exciting wine list are memorable cocktails like a baklava old fashioned and Topiko's iced coffee. The expansive venue can seat over 200 people across the dining room, 100-seat bar and outdoor terrace. Open from midday to midnight, it offers a new spot in the bustling eastern suburbs suburb for a snack, a catch-up over a wine or a group feast. Robinson calls it: "The perfect social meeting point, a pre/post-lunch or dinner drink and reliable place for friends to relax or celebrate no matter what time of day or night". View this post on Instagram A post shared by @topikos__ Topikos Dining Room will be open on Thursday, April 14. You can find it at 180 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach midday to midnight seven days a week.
French chef Claude Bosi and Aussie chef Brent Savage come from opposite sides of the world. Bosi has headed up a string of two-Michelin-starred restaurants across the UK, including Bibendum in Michelin's former headquarters in Chelsea. Meanwhile, Savage, with sommelier Nick Hildebrandt, founded Sydney's Bentley Group — home to Eleven Barrack, Monopole, Bentley Restaurant + Bar, King Clarence and Brasserie 1930. However, the two have a lot in common. Both are big on experimenting with big new flavours, while honouring tradition and pursuing technical excellence. As part of the Vivid Chef Series, their decades of experience will be colliding at Eleven Barrack for just two evenings, on Tuesday, June 10 and Wednesday, June 11. Between them, they've come up with a six-course feast where French tradition blends with Aussie creativity. You'll get a rare opportunity to try Bosi's famous Camembert soufflé with black winter truffle. On top of that, Savage will be presenting duck liver choux au craquelin, as well as wagyu consommé and soft-poached quail egg tart. The experience will cost you $185 at lunch and $285 at dinner. Opt for matching at wines at $90 or premium drops for $180.
Fans of the Portuguese tart need to make tracks to Clovelly, where Tuga Pastry is turning out arguably the tastiest pastel de nata our city has to offer. Owner Diogo Ferreira resurrected his father Agostinho's (who was a pastry chef in northern Portugal) recipe back in 2016 when he opened his first cafe, Village on Cloey. Then, when space opened up three doors down, Ferreira expanded his business and opened this bustling weekend bakery. Here, you'll catch Ferreira's mother Lucia in the kitchen, hand pressing the dough for each and every Portuguese tart that goes in the oven. You can watch the entire process in the bakery, then taste the finished product fresh from the oven. The buttery pastry shell is filled with gooey egg custard that's perfectly caramelised on top and dusted with cinnamon. If you're not hungry yet, just take a look at this: [caption id="attachment_762031" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] Apart from the pastel de nata, which is available every day, the Tuga menu is constantly changing. Other favourites include tart de feijao (almond tart), pau de daus (coconut brioche) and bola de berlim (sugar coated donuts). Diogo is also whipping up non-Portuguese treats, like croissants, quiches and sausage rolls. Plus, gorgeous cakes in flavours like coffee and hazelnut, carrot and pineapple, and passion fruit and yoghurt. Tuga is looking to expand in the near future, too, so keep on eye on this space. Images Kitti Gould
Sometimes you're having such a good time with your mates that you don't want to head home just yet. Maybe you need a debrief after that amazing film you just saw at the cinema, or you're so pumped from the live music you've just experienced you'd like to eke out a little more time with friends over a post-gig drink. Or, after spending the allotted time at your restaurant booking, maybe you're keen for night cap before it's time to call it a night. We've teamed up with Maker's Mark to bring you seven cocktail bars in Sydney for when you want to make the magic last a little longer, whether you've just been to the movies, out to dinner or for an evening dip in the ocean. AFTER DINING AT SAINT PETER, GO FOR A COCKTAIL AT CHARLIE PARKER'S Seafood master Josh Niland has transformed his restaurant Saint Peter into an even more intimate eatery, which seats 12–14 guests at a time. After such an exciting meal, from live purple sea urchin to murray cod fat caramel slice, you'll want to keep the conversation going afterwards. Keep to Oxford Street and head down into Charlie Parker's for an after-dinner delight. This basement bar, tucked underneath Fred's, is all class, with dark leather detailing and an open fireplace to capture the feel of a cosy country house. The drinks list has an emphasis on seasonality and freshly picked botanicals. Our pick from it is the Sage ($22), a signature cocktail made with Maker's Mark, Montenegro and verjus. [caption id="attachment_747368" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] AFTER PASTA AT RAGAZZI, DUCK INTO J&M FOR A GLOW UP Ragazzi may be small in stature but this pasta and wine bar, found at Angel Place, more than pulls its weight when it comes to what's on the plate. After feasting on a big bowl of house-made pasta you'll be carb-loaded and ready to roll around the corner to J&M, the charming old-school cocktail bar above Angel Hotel. Pull up a cushioned armchair and spend an hour catching up with your dinner buddies. We suggest starting with a smooth Glow Up ($22), which includes Maker's Mark, exotic verbena, lemon and coconut). [caption id="attachment_622123" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberly Low[/caption] AFTER A MOVIE AT THE RITZ, GO TO WILL'S FOR OYSTERS AND AN OLD-FASHIONED With its art deco charm, The Ritz is a glamorous way to spend a night at the movies. Right now you can also catch a flick under the stars in its Ritz Laneway Cinema, complete with director chair seating. Whether you watch a film indoors or out, keep the glamour — and the good times — going by heading down the hill to Will's at the Coogee Pavilion after the movie. Set on the mezzanine, with stunning ocean views and an ornate, curved central bar, this beachside gem will have you feeling every bit the sophisticate. Enjoy a classic cocktail, like an old-fashioned, paired with smoked trout and fresh oysters. [caption id="attachment_637649" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Katje Ford[/caption] AFTER A GIG AT FRANKIE'S, HEAD INTO DOOR KNOCK FOR A NIGHT CAP Thank the rock and pizza gods for Frankie's — the late-night boozer and pizza parlour where the good times are on high rotation and the live music is booming. After heading to a gig in this underground lair, you may want to find a quieter place to extend your night out and have a chat. Luckily, Door Knock is little more than a stumble away. You'll feel right at home at this subterranean bar, where the lights are low and the drinks pack a punch. In keeping with the speakeasy vibe, order a whisky sour and talk in hushed tones as you while away the hours. [caption id="attachment_790343" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] AFTER AN EVENING DIP AT SHELLY BEACH, HEAD TO IN SITU There are few better ways to celebrate a balmy summer's evening than with an after-work dip at Shelly Beach. Once you've been reinvigorated by the ocean, and all dried off, why not take yourself from the sand to soak up the night at In Situ? The atmosphere is always buzzing at this small bar, and, despite its size, there's a top-shelf cocktail selection to choose from. Pair the sea-salt on your lips with an old-fashioned and mingle with fellow beachgoers, first-daters and locals alike. AFTER LATE-NIGHT SHOPPING IN NEWTOWN, HEAD TO EARL'S The shops in Newtown are eclectic, mostly independently owned, and best of all, stay open late. After picking up a shiny new record, paperback, or eco shampoo, head down the road to Earl's Juke Joint to rest your legs and share your wares with your shopping pal. When you step off King Street and into this New Orleans-inspired drinking den, opt for a stool at the bar for the best vantage point to watch the bartenders make cocktails with flair. They pour a mean old-fashioned here, too. AFTER A SHOW AT STABLES THEATRE, HEAD TO JANGLING JACKS The Griffin Theatre Comapny, based at SBW Stables Theatre in Kings Cross, is one of the gems of the suburb. After getting your culture fix with a play at this intimate space, you'll want to keep the show going, and talk about what you've seen unfold on stage. Head to Jangling Jacks for post-show ramblings over a whiskey. Take a seat where the magic happens — at the bar — and let the experts take you through their carefully curated cocktail list. Find out more about Maker's Mark and how to make an old-fashioned, here. Top image: Charlie Parker's
Young South Korean artist JeeYoung Lee is generating quite a buzz for herself in the art world these days, and it's not hard to see why. A recent graduate of Seoul's Hongik University, the artist's dreamy, highly imaginative work surpasses our traditional expectations of photography. Plus, it's totally spectacular to look at. It's hard to believe it, but Lee's images aren't Photoshopped. Instead, displaying admirable patience, she spends weeks and often months turning her tiny little studio (only 3 x 6 metres) into an unimaginably intricate, detailed set. Once she's captured the essence of the particular dream, desire, nightmare, hope or conflict she had in mind, she places herself within the image, never facing the camera directly — in fact, often with her back to it. The result is a strangely beautiful kind of reality. JeeYoung Lee is considered an up-and-coming artist in her native South Korea. She won last year's Sovereign Art Prize and has exhibited at Seoul's OCI Museum, the Incheon Foundation for Art and Culture, the Kyoto Photographic Museum in Japan and early next year will open her first European exhibition at France's Opiom Gallery with this ongoing series of self-portraits, entitled Stage of Mind. Broken Heart Black Birds Nightmare The Little Match Girl Maiden Voyage Last Supper Treasure Hunt Top image: Resurrection. Story via Colossal.
If jungle vibes while shopping for greenery sounds like your perfect outing, head along to the Jungle Collective's indoor plant sale on Saturday, December 12–Sunday, December 13. It's the latest greenery-filled Sydney market from the Melbourne nursery, which stocks all kinds of weird and wonderful species. Yes, it is trucking its way up north again for another venture — and, after hosting plenty of online-only events this year, this sale is a 100-percent in-person affair. Whether you're after a hanging pot plant, some palms for the garden or a giant Bird of Paradise, chances are you'll find it here. Have a reputation for killing your cacti? Overwatering your ferns? Don't worry — there'll be horticulturalists on site on the night to give you advice and chat through any questions you might have. Get inspired by greenery aplenty and learn to incorporate plants into your home and living spaces, all while browsing and soaking up some tunes. Jungle Collective is turning this event into a bit of a maze, too, so you'll enter in one spot, wander along a designated path and leave in a completely different area. Best get in quick though — these markets are always popular, with more than 170 different species usually on offer. Due to expected demand, the sale will be held in 30-minute sessions across both days, and attendees will need to register for free tickets in advance from midday on Monday, December 7. Plus, if you wear white — and spend at least $10 — you'll also get $5 off your purchase.
It was the early 1950s when the world got its first glimpse of Andrew Geller's holiday home designs. On the beach and full of light, Geller's unique homes were created to serve one purpose: an escape. Nicknamed 'the architect of happiness', Geller left behind a legacy of beautiful beach-dwelling designs. Holiday houses hold a special place in the heart of peace-seekers and sun-worshippers. Andrew Geller dedicated most of his career to making that place of relaxation and sunshine just right. His homes are considered modest but distinctive. Popping out of dune grass in interesting wooden shapes, Geller's work reflects his creativity and desire to create useful designs. Many of his designs have fallen victim to reconstruction and the test of time. And though he passed recently, Geller's iconic designs live on through memories and photographs of homes once filled with laugher and sandy feet.
World Cocktail Day rolls around on Friday, May 13 — yes, it's a real thing — and to celebrate, Monkey Shoulder is getting pouring. The scotch brand has created Australia's biggest cocktail mixer truck called Monkey Mixer (which looks a little like a cement mixer truck, but shiny) and is serving free cocktails at a heap of breweries around Sydney. The giant orange and silver truck is hitting the road between Wednesday, May 11–Friday, May 13, giving you three days to nab a complimentary drink. First stops on the Wednesday: Wayward Brewing Co in Camperdown (from 5.30–6.30pm) and Sauce Brewing Co in Marrickville (7–8pm). Then, Thursday's itinerary spans Kirrawee's Sunday Road Brewing (4.30–5.30pm) and North Wollongong's Illawarra Brewing Co (6.30–7.30pm), before heading to North Wollongong Hotel in Wollongong (12–10pm) on Friday. If this all sounds familiar, that's because Monkey Shoulder did something similar back in 2020. If the brand wants to hand out free cocktails every now and then, we're obviously happy to drink them. And if you're wondering why it's pouring cocktails at breweries, the aim is to get beer fiends to switch up their sips.
UPDATE: Friday, July 16 2021 — In light of Greater Sydney's current COVID-19 situation, Love Song Dedications (without Richard Mercer) has been cancelled. For more information, visit the event's website. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. There have been many theories over the years regarding not only when, but how the world managed to find its way to this hellscape we blithely call reality. Allow me to posit another. December 12, 2013. Richard 'The Love God' Mercer records his last ever episode as host of the universally beloved radio show Love Song Dedications. Eight years later and look where we are. But, hark! A beacon! This July, performance artists Tom Hogan and Bonnie Leigh-Dodds are bringing Love Song Dedications (Without Richard Mercer) to Parramatta's Riverside Theatres to share the twice Green Room Award-nominated good news — the Love Song Dedications might be gone, but that doesn't mean the love is. Love Song Dedications (Without Richard Mercer) is part performance lecture and part search for the perfect soppy ballad of yesteryear. But it is also a quest, to recapture that part of ourselves that secretly hoped the interstate truckers, night shift security guards and estranged fiancés would hear those serenades from the 70s, 80s, 90s and now and come home. A comedy that will melt the most irony-poisoned among us. God knows, Richard – we need you now.
Award-winning pastry chef and dessert expert Anna Polyviou is bringing her beloved sweet treats to the inner west. Polyviou revealed she'll be opening her first shopfront in Marrickville later this year, via an Instagram post earlier this month. Polyviou, known for her outlandish dessert creations, appearances on MasterChef Australia and her iconic pink mohawk, said she had received the keys to a store in the inner west suburb and has plans to open up around Easter. "YES I am opening my first FIRST SHOP... and what better location than Marrickville. It's forever been a dream of mine & my teams to be around such an amazing community," Polyviou wrote on Instagram. Not much has been revealed about the shop yet, with more information to be unveiled soon. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anna Polyviou (@annapolyviou) The announcement comes as the popular chef launched a new range of cookie dough available at Harris Farm Markets across Sydney. Hot off the tails of Bennett St Dairy's supermarket cookie dough which captured the attention of Sydneysiders in lockdown last year, Polyviou has dropped a range of bake-it-yourself dough featuring three flavours — triple choc, choc brownie and peanut butter fudge. To stay up-to-date with everything happening at Anna Polyviou's Marrickville store, be sure to follow her on Instagram as she documents the process of renovating and setting up the shop. Anna Polyviou's inaugural IRL store is set to open in Marrickville sometime in April or May 2022. We'll bring you more details as they become available.
Newtown's ultimate pub crawl is back for its third year. On Sunday, September 10, 40 venues between Missenden Road and St Peters Station will welcome over 100 music acts through their doors, for a day-long party in the inner west. Participating in this year's event is a motley lineup of Newtown favourites, from bars and pubs to restaurants and cafes, plus record stores and venues that specialise in live music. And despite the name, it's not just King Street that gets to have all the fun, with stalwarts on Erskineville and Enmore Roads getting in on the action too. As for the entertainment, expect a who's who from the local music scene, with the likes of Abbe May, The Tamborine Girls and World Champion, amongst many others, set to play.
From Houseparty birthday bashes to Zoom weddings, celebrations have been looking a little different lately. But one thing is clear: not even a pandemic can stand between us and a good ol' party. And that includes marking World Whisky Day on May 16. We may not be able to head to a cosy bar and celebrate the legendary amber liquor in style, so Glenmorangie has partnered with Boozebud to bring the festivities to your living room via a virtual whisky masterclass. At 6pm on Boozebud's Facebook page, Glenmorangie's Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation and Whisky Stocks Dr Bill Lumsden will be guiding you through a tasting from the Scottish distillery's core range of single malts. You'll start with the classic Glenmorangie Original Aged 10 Years, then move through the Lasanta Sherry Cask Aged 12 Years, Quinta Ruban Port Cask Aged 12 Years and Nectar d'Or Sauternes Cask Aged 12 Years. The masterclass is free to stream but, to make the most of it, you'll want to snag one of the taster packs from Boozebud beforehand, which has the four smooth spirits in 100-millilitre measures — enough for you and a housemate to have a nip each. The pack costs $64.99 and first-time Boozebud customers will score 10-percent off and free shipping by using the code BESTBUD (terms and conditions apply). Purchase your Glenmorangie Scotch Whisky Taster Pack here, then head to Boozebud's Facebook page at 6pm on May 16 to take part in the virtual masterclass.
There aren't a whole bunch of things that can beat a day in the sun with a drink in your hand. Recognising the need to slake that thirst, Canadian Club is bringing their Racquet Club back for the summer, dosing out refreshing Canadian Club, dry and lime by the water with a screen showing the tennis. The Racquet Club celebrates Australia's biggest annual summer sporting fixture, the Australian Open. After keeping punters hydrated in Melbourne last year, the pop-up will this year extend to Sydney and Brisbane as well. The club will set up at The Bucket List on Bondi Beach for a whole month, from December 29 to January 30, and overlooking Sydney Harbour at Cruise Bar from January 3 to January 30. The pop-up bar will carry Canadian Club on tap and a whole slew of Canadian Club cocktails (the grapefruit Summer Spritz is our favourite), and will be decked out in all the tennis memorabilia that they can find. Plus, when the Open starts on January 16, there'll be a big screen showing every game, loud and live. Sports, beach and Canadian Club? See you there.
Across the last two months of 2023, most folks will celebrate festive season. Here's something else to mark this year: Godzilla season. New streaming series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters arrives in mid-November, combining kaiju with both Kurt (Fast and Furious 9) and Wyatt Russell (Under the Banner of Heaven). Then, the unrelated Godzilla Minus One will stomp onto the big screen Down Under to kick off December. This film marks a big return, and not just because Godzilla as a creature is huge in size (even though exactly how large the critter is varies between on-screen appearances). To the delight of fans of Zilly's rampages through its homeland's cinema, Godzilla Minus One is the first live-action Japanese Godzilla release about its namesake since 2016's excellent Shin Godzilla. When Godzilla first crawled out of the ocean and into cinemas, the famous movie monster made its debut appearance in the shadow of the Second World War. The link between the film's fears of nuclear holocaust and what Japan had just experienced wasn't an accident, in a picture that isn't just an excellent creature feature — the franchise-starting flick is stellar all round, including its glorious score. It was back in 1954 that Godzilla initially greeted the world. Now, almost seven decades later, 37 other movies have followed. The latest: Godzilla Minus One, which gives Zilly aficionados a long-awaited new Japanese Godzilla movie and takes its titular figure back to the country's postwar era. As seen in the both the first trailer for Godzilla Minus One and its just-dropped latest sneak peek, Japan is still coping with the aftermath of WWII's atomic bombings when the kaiju appears. The question: in a place that's already rebuilding, how will everyone both endure and battle against this towering critter? In a feature written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki (Lupin III: The First, Ghost Book), cue plenty of rampaging through the streets by Godzilla, plus fleeing by the film's humans. Cue buildings levelled, the ground both rumbling and crumbling, and explosions wreaking more havoc, too. Referencing going backwards from zero in its moniker, cue a film that follows people trying to survive and fight — all back in the time that gave birth to all things Godzilla. Already in cinemas in Japan since early November, Godzilla Minus One will hit the big screen Down Under from Friday, December 1. It follows three animated streaming efforts since Shin Godzilla: 2017's Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters, and 2018's Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle and Godzilla: The Planet Eater. Of course, the broader franchise also includes America's take on Godzilla, starting with a low in 1998, then including another try in 2014, 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters and 2021's Godzilla vs Kong. After TV's Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, a sequel to Godzilla vs Kong, is due in 2024. Check out the latest trailer for Godzilla Minus One below: Godzilla Minus One will hit cinemas Down Under on Friday, December 1.
Sci fi author Philip K Dick died in 1982. A few months later, Blade Runner became the first of his reality-bent worlds to make it to the big screen. He'd left a lot behind him: his books, a trove of stories soon turned into movies and a pretty big family as well. Most in the public eye these days are his daughters Laura Dick Coelho and Isa Dick Hackett, who run a Michel Gondry-friendly production company for Dick's work. But also engaging with his legacy is Tessa B Dick, his fifth wife. For Ms & Mr's new video installation XEROX MISSIVE 1977/2011, Tessa cuts across time to share the screen with her late husband. Ms & Mr (Stephanie & Richard nova Milne) are no strangers to remixing lost moments, regularly raiding their home videos to create eerie intrusions into the past by their present digital selves. For XEROX MISSIVE an interview with a 2011 Tessa B gets dropped into a 1977 speech by Philp K, creating a new conversation thirty four years in the making. Rotoscoping their will into Dick's 1977 life, Ms & Mr will remember it for you now, just as it never happened. Still from XEROX MISSIVE 1977/2011 by Ms & Mr.
They say that the reason aeroplane food tastes so bad is because our tastebuds decrease by 30 percent when we're in higher altitudes. Whether or not this is true, it's pretty clear that 47 storeys won't spoil any flavour, because the excellent food and drink at O Bar and Dining is incomparable to that 'beef(?) lasagna' you got on your last flight. An ear-popping 47 floors up George Street's Australia Square building, this sleek bar boasts a breathtaking 360-degree, sky-high view of Sydney, a modern menu and charming cocktails to match. The circular space comprises a restaurant, bar, private dining area and relaxed tapas lounge complete with comfy armchairs for you to gaze out the window at the spectacular blinking lights below. Chef and owner Michael Moore, whose cooking career has spanned nearly 30 years both in London and Australia, oversaw the redevelopment of this prime piece of real estate from an 80s buffet restaurant to a sophisticated social hub in the sky. Moore is passionate about promoting a healthy eating philosophy, so you can take comfort in the fact that you'll find a lot of superfoods (quinoa, agave, chia) substituted for the naughtier ingredients throughout the menus. The cocktail menu will please any palate, featuring classic and signature serves made with fresh and local ingredients. The signature mezcal- and coconut-starring Crema de Coco is a popular choice, bursting with citrus-forward yuzu, while the sweet Bees Knees G&T combines Archie Rosie's honey gin with candied ginger. Plus, there's a premium range of crafted cocktails to choose from, too, including a martini and caviar bump pairing if you're feeling especially extra. There's also an extensive wine menu that focuses on Australian producers, as well as an impressive selection of wine and champagne available by the glass. You can pair your pour with a pick from the savoury and sweet bar menu, available for lunch Wednesday through Saturday and dinner seven nights a week. As for the food, the menu is classic Mod Oz – local produce is front and centre in dishes that take their inspiration from around the world. Lunch highlights include the baked miso cod fillet with a miso marmalade and charred sweetcorn; and rock lobster ravioli in a saffron and tomato broth. The dinner menu features the likes of wakame-crusted Murray cod with miso-braised daikon; and a poached and grilled Margra lamb fillet elevated with smoked and charred eggplant and sumac sweetcorn. There's also a selection of premium hibachi-grilled proteins — the standout is the 500-gram dry-aged Copper Tree Farm grass-fed wagyu, cooked on the bone to your desired doneness. For a decadent date-night dessert to share, our pick is the passionfruit and lime soufflé with coconut cream and passionfruit jelly. O Bar is the perfect spot to impress a date, client or visiting friend, and with attentive service and top-notch food and drink, this is one high that will be hard to come down from. Photo: Leigh Griffiths
Sometimes it can hard to get through the working week. Even if you love your job, it always helps to add a little mid-week joviality to get you through to Friday afternoon. Concrete Playground, with help from Debit MasterCard, are giving you the chance to win a night out that will keep you grinning all week at your desk (if you make it to work at all the next day). One lucky person will win a priceless Sydney night out with three of their best mates, dolled up in a brand new outfit from free-spirited Sydney fashion label, Strummer. Your night will start at the The Norfolk where you can sit in the leafy courtyard and sip beers or one of their cooling cocktail jugs to get warmed up before you head off to The Carrington, one of our favourite new venues, for a fab meal. Once you're well-fed and merry, you will head to the Seymour Centre with your VIP tickets in hand to see Florence + the Machine, whose powerful pop songs have won them fans all over the world, debut their new album, Ceremonials. Then, while still on a post-gig high, you and your friends will head for an after-party at the The Flinders to continue your night of dancing. The sold out gig is is part of Debit Mastercard's Priceless Music series, which has commissioned previous shows by other awesome bands like Birds of Tokyo at Cockatoo Island and Kasabian at Melbourne's Docklands, and is set to take place on November 15. For your chance to win the perfect night out, just make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then leave your email address in the box below. The winner will be notified by email on November 11, 2011. Note: Entries for this competition have now closed. [email_capture] https://youtube.com/watch?v=WbN0nX61rIs
At the 2024 British Film Festival, when you're not watching movies starring Saoirse Ronan, Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh and Barry Keoghan, you'll be catching the latest performances from Ralph Fiennes, Jude Law, Pierce Brosnan and Helena Bonham Carter. There's never any lack of big-name talents gracing the screen at Australia's annual celebration of the UK's latest and greatest contributions to cinema, but this year's is particularly jam-packed — so much so that there's not just one feature boasting Ronan among its cast, but two. Blitz, which sees the Foe, Little Women and Ammonite actor team up with 12 Years a Slave, Widows and Small Axe filmmaker Steve McQueen, is the British Film Festival's 2024 opening-night film. Playing Down Under fresh from also launching the London Film Festival, the period drama heads back to World War II, and starts the fest's month-long run from Wednesday, November 6–Sunday, December 8 with one of the year's must-see movies. At the other end of the festival, the also highly anticipated We Live in Time will close out the event's seasons in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Byron Bay and Ballarat. Pugh (Dune: Part Two) and Garfield (Under the Banner of Heaven) lead the romance from Brooklyn filmmaker John Crowley, which follows a couple's relationship across a decade. The second Ronan-led flick on the full 2024 British Film Festival comes courtesy of page-to-screen adaptation The Outrun, where the four-time Oscar-nominee plays a recovering addict — and there's plenty more highlights on the program from there. Hard Truths sits in the fest's centrepiece slot, reuniting iconic director Mike Leigh (Peterloo) with his Academy Award-nominated Secrets & Lies star Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Surface). Also boasting the coveted pairing of an impressive helmer and an exceptional on-screen talent: Bird from Andrea Arnold (American Honey), which is where Keoghan (Saltburn) pops up. As for Fiennes (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar), he stars with Juliette Binoche (The New Look) in The Return, a British spin on Homer's Odyssey — and also in papal thriller Conclave with Citadel's Stanley Tucci, Killers of the Flower Moon's John Lithgow and Spaceman's Isabella Rossellini. Law (Peter Pan & Wendy) plays King Henry VIII opposite Alicia Vikander (Irma Vep) as Katherine Parr in Firebrand, while Brosnan (The Last Rifleman) and Bonham Carter (One Life) feature in romance Four Letters of Love. Other standouts include the century-hopping dark comedy Timestalker from Garth Marenghi's Darkplace alum Alice Lowe, the Gillian Anderson (Scoop)- and Jason Isaacs (Archie)-led The Salt Path, Julia Louis-Dreyfus (You Hurt My Feelings) facing death in Tuesday, and Kelly Macdonald (Operation Mincemeat) and Damian Lewis (Billions) in vampire comedy The Radleys. For music fans, there's a dedicated themed sidebar featuring both Blur: To the End and Blur: Live at Wembley Stadium — one about the band's most-recent chapter, the other a two-hour concert film — as well as the Led Zeppelin-focused The Song Remains the Same and The Rolling Stones-centric The Stones and Brian Jones. This year's British Film Festival is also peering backwards via retrospective sessions of Ratcatcher, the debut feature from You Were Never Really Here's Lynne Ramsay; the Bonham Carter- and Dame Maggie Smith (The Miracle Club)-starring A Room with a View; and classic British historical dramas such as A Man for All Seasons, Heat and Dust, The Lion in Winter and Kenneth Branagh's (A Haunting in Venice) Henry V. British Film Festival 2024 Dates and Venues Wednesday, November 6–Sunday, December 8 — The Astor Theatre, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Penny Lane, The Kino and Pentridge Cinema, Melbourne Wednesday, November 6–Sunday, December 8 — Palace Regent Ballarat Wednesday, November 6–Sunday, December 8 — Palace Electric Cinemas, Canberra Wednesday, November 6–Sunday, December 8 — Palace Barracks and Palace James Street, Brisbane Wednesday, November 6–Sunday, December 8 — Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas, Adelaide Wednesday, November 6–Sunday, December 8 — Palace Raine Square, Luna on SX, Leederville and Windsor, Perth Wednesday, November 6–Sunday, December 8 — Palace Byron Bay Thursday, November 7–Sunday, December 8 — Palace Norton Street, Palace Moore Park, Chauvel Cinema and Palace Central, Sydney The 2024 British Film Festival tours Australia in November and December. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
Conveniently sitting on the corner of Wentworth and East Esplanade, just steps from Manly's Ferry Wharf, is the Artisan Cheese Room. Occupying a small corner shop, this delightful room is created for cheesemongers, by cheesemongers. Owners Joanna and Paul Thompson opened up the carefully curated cheese haven after successful careers elsewhere — although a career in cheese with your significant other feels like a whole different level of success. Inside you can browse over 50 cheeses sourced from across the world, as well as from just a few hours' drive away. Also available are accessories like blue-and-white crockery and handmade knives, all with a sharp focus around cheese. The shop also offers cheese celebration cakes, boards, hampers and gift boxes all prepared upon request. If you're now hankering for a cheese plate, then you might be interested in the store's Cheese Club which provides four cheeses each month along with biscuits and tasting notes (for all you cheese newcomers out there). March's featured cheeses included the Holy Goat La Luna, sourced from the rural plains just a few hours north of Melbourne, as well as L'Amuse gouda, a cheese made in northern Holland's UNESCO World Heritage Site of Beemster, which then aged for two years in Amsterdam. Cheese lovers can choose between four options — or one ($90), three ($260), six ($530) or 12 months ($1000) of cheese. Sign up online, or pop into the cheese shop — and taste a few seasonal favourites while you're there.
If there are two things that all of Sydney can agree on, it is that this city gets very warm in summer, and that ice-cream is delicious. There is no denying the sensory excitement created by the meeting of this delicious cold snack and your mouth. Sitting atop the summit of this tantalising ice-cream mountain is everybody's cinema favourite, the choc top. After all, there's no better way to enjoy an ice cream than encasing it in chocolatey goodness. And what could make this choc top better? As a MasterCard® cardholder, you will receive a free choc top with the purchase of any full priced movie ticket at the Ritz Cinema in Randwick. Just swipe and enjoy your treat. Movie theatres are one of the last remaining habitats of this increasingly rare treat and the Ritz Cinema in Randwick is arguably the king of the choc top in Sydney. Hand-made for you by Ritz staff, the personalised touch will remind you of the pure joy the movie experience held for you as a child. With flavours changing regularly, you can keep returning to find your favourite. Once you've found it, come back for more of your favourite. This offer ends on April 22, 2014, so they have you covered for all of summer.
Close that Netflix-riddled laptop, kick back that unwashed doona and bundle up in All The Knits, there's plenty of happenings worth leaving the house for this weekend. From interactive sound sculptures to pop-ups and unmissable NYC rappers, we've given you a little rundown of the five best things to get out and about for. Orange is the New Black's not going anywhere. Sonic Social The Biennale may have wrapped for another two years, but hot on the heels of genre-defying and New York-based art stars is Performance Space's Sonic Social. Hauling in some participatory and experimental ideas, Performance Space is teaming up with the MCA to keep your cultural calendar topped up. The month of June will be studded with sound-based performances scattered throughout the museum. Whether the works be roaming between floors or tucked in discreet nooks, Sonic Social's aim is to respond to the MCA's architecture and activate neglected spaces. When: Thursday, 12 June - Sunday, 29 June Where: Museum of Contemporary Art Australia , 140 George St, The Rocks, NSW How much: FREE Frank There’s no one quite like Frank, the person, and there’s nothing quite like Frank, the film. The former, as played by Michael Fassbender while wearing a papier mache mask, is a soul seemingly eccentric but really just looking for the essence of creation and contentment. The latter is quirky by design but beautifully bittersweet by execution, revelling in all life’s failures and flaws. Frank leads an experimental rock band with the fittingly unpronounceable name of The Soronprfbs, and that’s exactly where Jon (Domhnall Gleeson) finds him. As the reconfigured group ventures from the Irish wilderness to the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas in search of musical fulfilment, the solace they find comes from internal, not external, forces. Read our full Frank review over here. When: Thursday, 19 June - Wednesday, 30 July Where: Various cinemas How much: $15 - $20 West Elm and Etsy Pop-up West Elm are teaming up with Etsy this weekend to bring you an afternoon of crafty goodness from your favourite online designers. From 1pm to 6pm on June 21, you'll be able to track down and purchase unique items made by local artisans. Better yet, there's no need for postage fees or waiting periods. Etsy has curated a stellar line-up of 16 sellers, offering everything from nifty jewellery and funky stationary through to re-purposed timber homewares and hand-poured soy candles. There will be a broad range of handmade products oozing with style and personality. Plus, you'll get to chat to your local innovators over treats and tunes. When: Saturday, 21 June - 1:00pm Where: West Elm Sydney , 472 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction How much: FREE Mykki Blanco Cross-dressing spitfire MC Mykki Blanco is in the country for Dark Mofo, heading north afterward to blow Sydneysider minds at Good God. One seriously multitalented artist, NYC-based Blanco is a rapper, performance artist and poet who grew up listening to riot grrrl music. The significantly internet-hyped New Yorker's setlist will inevitably include writhing party jam 'Wavvy' and heavier tracks like the recently released 'Initiation' — both as likely to intrigue audiences as attract them to the dance floor. Think bass heavy, post-trap anthems with a killer MC at the helm. When: Saturday, 21 June - 1:25am Where: Good God Small Club , 53 - 55 Liverpool St Sydney How much: 30 +BF The Farmed Table Pop-Up The idea of sustainable eating has become a prominent feature on menus around Sydney, with more and more restaurants taking a marked step away from fine dining towards a communal, local approach to food culture. As the world widens, we’re becoming more conscious of our immediate surroundings and how we can benefit from them. Enter The Farmed Table — Brendan Cato's pop-up venture, hosted by Bangbang cafe in Surry Hills, aiming to provide good, sustainable food in a community environment. When: Saturday 6.30pm - 10.30pm Where: 113 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills How much: $55 for food only and $80 for matching wines. Brothers Wreck — Belvoir Brothers Wreck is a superb piece of theatre. Set in Darwin, Jada Alberts’ contemporary drama follows the life of a tight-knit, if troubled, Indigenous family. Daily life in the top end is interrupted by torrential rain, plenty of expletives and much laughter. The play follows the redemptive journey of Ruben (Hunter Page-Lochard), a 21-year-old masquerading as a tough guy to get through the grief of losing his best friend, Joe, to suicide. Brothers Wreck is powerful storytelling, which deservedly received a standing ovation on opening night. Go and see this play. When: Saturday, 24 May - Sunday, 22 June Where: Belvoir St Theatre Upstairs , 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills How much: $68/48/35 Dune Rats Brisbane’s Dune Rats leave the rules at home, abiding by one big ol’ proviso: "no kooks, no gutties." Whatever the blazes that means, these bloody corker dudes surf self-generated waves of laidback party-fuelled philosophy. Dune Rats' BC Michaels, Danny Beusa and Brett Jansch have been away from home for some time now, heading to the US, staying in a New York AirBnB warehouse, driving along the West Coast from San Diego to Vancouver and filming their own (sorta) web series American Death Trip of Dreams. After months on the road, the Dunies will head back home to Australia for a national tour, showcasing their debut album released on June 1. It’ll be the first time the trio have played to home audiences for months and is guaranteed to be one messy affair. Check out our chat with Dune Rats bass player Brett Jansch over here. When: Saturday, 21 June - 8:00pm Where: Oxford Art Factory , 38-46 Oxford Street Darlinghurst How much: $18.50 Patyegarang - Bangarra Dance Theatre Bangarra Dance Theatre is celebrating its 25th anniversary with another masterful fusion of storytelling and contemporary dance. Building on one of the earliest collaborations between Aboriginal people and the new settlers, Patyegarang traces the relationship between a spirited young indigenous woman and an English astronomer. It's a little bit like Australia's own Pocahontas adaptation but with cutting edge choreography. Imbued with a spirit of optimism and collaboration, Patyegarang promises an electric tribute to our first people, excavating an overlooked historical tale and providing an opportunity to reflect on Australia's future as a new nation. When: Friday, 13 June - Saturday, 5 July Where: Sydney Opera House , 2 Macquarie St Sydney How much: $29 - $89 Words by the Concrete Playground team.
Sometimes the ideas just ain't flowin'. You want the paragraphs to flow freely. You'd like that band to start itself. You'd appreciate if your inner Iron Chef would just come out already. Sometimes it takes a little inspiration to get the creative juices flowing, but you've got to know where to start the quest. Teaming up with our buds at Kirin — who've just unleashed a whole ton of creative collaboration with their newest line of inspired cider — we've trawled through Sydney's alleyways, secret music venues and fresh food markets to find the best spots in the city to get inspired. After a tour through these babies you'll have enough inspiration to found All The Labels, write All The Plays and master All The Sous Vide. Get amongst it. For Street Artists: Mays Lane Street artists with a slight writer's block should scoot over to Mays Lane in Petersham. The legal graffiti thoroughfare is somewhat of a Mecca for Sydney graf crews. Take design cues, find your own spot of wall and get painting — knowing the po-po won't shut you down. For Art Enthusiasts: Alaska Projects Budding artists and curators, if you're lacking for inspiration in the art department the team at Alaska Projects will make you rethink Everything. Turning curatorial endeavours on their head and finding a regular exhibition space in the Kings Cross carpark, AP specialise in installation projects, performances, talks and straight-up gallery hangs that make you revisualise possibility. Plus, they throw killer openings — solid frosting. For Design Addicts: Koskela Feeling uninspired by your less-than-stylin' apartment? Learn how to make your abode look like one o' dem glossy magazines at Koskela. The Roseberry-based furniture and homewares company not only sells the slickest home-wants in the business, they also run baller workshops. Take Gemma Patford's rope basket workshop, or dye your hand at the Shibori indigo dyeing workshop. You'll be holding your own crafternoons in no time. For DIY Go-getters: Work-Shop Holding your little paw while you step outside your comfort zone, Work-Shop is your gateway to inspiration for all those projects you've either put off or haven't even thought of yet. With 89 artists teaching 103 programs, Work-Shop can teach you everything from how to make kickass kimchi to making your own bottle lamp. Want to do public speaking like a boss? Always yearned to make origami jewellery? Feeling like you're the next big street artist? There's a class for that. Peruse The Makery to check out the pure genius you could be. For Fashion Fiends: Somedays Feeling the need for a creative impetus on more levels than one? Fusing fashion and art in a nifty retail/exhibition loft space, the Somedays crew know what's up when it comes to the designers, photography, collections, art and cider-fuelled launches you should know about. Whether it be reams of jeans in store or entire exhibitions of live music photography, Somedays will leave you wanting to seize creativity by the haunches and make your own mark. For Culinary Wizards: Gastro Park In case you haven’t heard by now, Gastro Park is as inspiring as food gets. Food lovers around Sydney are fixated on how bad the name is and how incredible the food is.The slogan rings true: Gastro Park is indeed 'a fairground of deliciousness'. They'll take a spot of snapper and craft it into a modernist delight. They'll construct an entire dinner themed around Game of Thrones, with edible candles and handwritten letters to boot. If this place doesn't inspire you to get innovative with your own culinary masterpieces, you haven't ordered enough calamari crackling. For Unstoppable Gardeners: Wendy's Secret Garden Perfect for finding perspective and gaining some creative inspiration from one of the greats, Wendy's Secret Garden is a small testament to heartbreak hidden amongst the skyscrapers that line the city's foreshore. The garden was created by Wendy Whiteley, the wife of one of Australia's most celebrated artists, Brett Whiteley. After Brett's death of a heroin-overdose in 1992, Wendy got hold of the derelict land adjacent to their house and restored the grounds, transforming it into a beautiful, secluded space laced by winding paths, fig trees, antiques and esoterica all against the backdrop of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Hard not to get a little inspired here. For Budding Twangers: Hibernian House Are you a solo guitar-touting musician with not a songwriting idea in your little ol' dome? Head along to a gig at Hibernian House and you'll be scrawling and twanging in no time. Home to reams of lit candles, intimate 'stage' space, actual residents and all the lounge roomy vibes, the not-so-secret-anymore Hibernian House has long been a staple of the unconventional, always rewarding gig roster. For Architecture Tragics: Rose Seidler House Architectural inspiration comes from the most unlikely of places, but why not force the point and wander through the modernist hallways of the iconic Rose Seidler House in Wahroonga. Open on Sundays for a small $8 entry fee, you can check out designs by iconic mid 20th-century designers Charles Eames, Eero Saarinen and Ferrari-Hardoy, and Harry Seidler himself — then run around the garden for a spell, crack open a cider and redesign your own dream house when you get home. For Pantry Raiders: Bondi Farmers Market If you're keen to get creative with the possibilities of pickling, the potential of pastry art or just creating something different for dinner, Bondi Farmers Market is your inspiring produce hub. A super chilled Saturday venture for many a Bondi local, the markets take over Bondi Beach Public School (including the canteen) with seasonal produce, organic meats, homemade jams and honey, baked goods, cheeses, olive oils, fresh flowers, street food and live music, with some vintage fashion and countless local pups thrown in for good measure. You'll be unleashing creative fury on your pantry in no time. For Crate Diggers: Title Sick of your Spotify playlists? Want to get in to some real crate digging? Crown Street's Title store is full of inspiring and unexpected little gems that are as niche as they come. Run by Fuse Music upstairs, Title has all your restorations, reissues and limited editions to reinvigorate your love for tunes. Justin Vernon buys his records here when he's in Sydney, so if it's good enough for Bon Iver it's good enough for us. For Antique Aficionados: Doug Up on Bourke Antiquing has never been so fly. Boasting one of the largest collections of rustic antiques and hardcore collectables in Sydney today, Waterloo's Doug Up on Bourke is a bonafide treasure trove of everything you never knew you needed. Find inspiration for your latest interior design project, or just brighten up your drab old lounge room with some vintage bowling pins, wooden hot dog stands or antique merry-go-round horses. For Multi-Hat Wearers: 107 Projects Redfern's most versatile creative space is simply made for inspiring. One of Sydney's best spots for new, innovative theatre, book launches, exhibitions, food pop-ups, performances and general creative collaboration, 107 Projects ticks many a potential-realising box. Now you're sufficiently inspired, reward yourself with a crispy beverage — check out Kirin's range of Japanese-inspired ciders over here. Top image: sexyninjamonkey via photopin cc.
Break out your stretchiest attire, prepare to start quoting Homer Simpson and make a beeline to your new Tuesday night dinner spot. Every week, Bondi's Panama House is serving up an all-you-can-eat taco feast — and it'll only set you back $25 per person. Their taco menu includes seared duck, 'tinga' chicken, market fish, rare kangaroo and pork chicharron — plus smoked mushrooms and thyme goat curd for those that don't partake in meat, as well as chickpea and salsa for those who don't eat any animal products. Washing it all down with a margarita or some Tecate is also highly recommended — and cheap — with the former (with tequila, hibiscus curaçao, lime oil and fresh lime juice) on offer for $12 and the latter for $4. Image: Richard Mortimer
Sydneysiders will have to wait a little longer before sipping Re's inventive cocktails is on the menu again — and construction delays are the cause. The zero-waste bar was initially slated to open up inside The Norfolk Hotel on Tuesday, May 14, but since announcing that date, the Redfern pub has had to postpone its relaunch. Re's boundary-pushing approach to sustainability has seen the bar earn a spot among Sydney's best bars, and has received acclaim on lists spanning the world's best bars multiple times. Hence, the postponement of its long-awaited reopening is bittersweet news. Now, the standout spot is set to welcome guests from sometime between mid-May to the end of the month. No open date has officially been confirmed as yet, so stand by for further details. The cocktail bar's revitalised menu for its sleek new digs at The Norfolk will feature its familiar game-changing cocktails made from discarded bread or chicken feet, alongside new inventions — including a Ricos Tacos-inspired tortilla-inspired cocktail, a Busby's-centred 'Dirty Bore' with salted focaccia butter vodka, a boozy Derrel's-style mango lassi cocktail and more. As for its upcoming food lineup, each dish will showcase the highest-quality local ingredients that can be consumed whole. You'll spot dishes like the squid ink and calamari duo, as well as yellowfin tuna paired with marigold. When Re reopens, you'll find it at The Norfolk, 305 Cleveland Street, Redfern. Keep an eye on the venue's website for more information. Images: Sam McAdam.
Mulatu Astatke was born in Jimma, Ethiopia, and, after studying music in London, New York City and Boston, created a new music style by blending traditional Ethiopian rhythms with Latin and jazz. Soon after, he came to be known as the 'Father of Ethio-Jazz'. Stardom in Africa followed, but it wasn't until Astatke appeared on the soundtrack for Jim Jarmusch's Broken Flowers that he became a big name in the West. At The Basement, he'll be joining forces with nine-piece funk band The Black Jesus Experience, who he met in Addis Ababa in 2009. Their collaborative album, Cradle Of Humanity, is due out in June.
In a glorious era where phones can be unlocked using facial recognition, what are we still doing slumming it with pesky plug-in chargers? Well, chaining your smartphone to a power point and fumbling with tangled cords could soon be a thing of the past, when San Francisco company Pi releases what it says is the world's first ever contactless, wireless charger. The brainchild of a pair of MIT alumni, this little guy does away with the cords, the charging pads and even the need for your phone or tablet to be touching anything at all. Instead, Pi harnesses groundbreaking electromagnetic charging technology developed by the founders, John MacDonald and Lixin Shi, over more than three years. That's a whole lotta math problems. The cone-shaped Pi can simultaneously charge four devices within around 30cm, at full speed. It can charge additional devices on top of that, albeit at a slower pace. Perhaps most enticing, you can use your phone and move it around while it's juicing up. Of course, this kind of modern day witchery doesn't come easy. As MacDonald explains, "creating this technology required solving one of the most difficult mathematical problems in electromagnetics, and that's why no one has done it before." It sounds like Pi will be available sometime next year, although you can reserve yours right away. MacDonald and Shi believe it will retail for under US$200. The first 314 people in the world to order will score a $50 discount.
If The West Wing, The Social Network, A Few Good Men and Steve Jobs taught us anything, it's that Aaron Sorkin knows how to write dialogue. With his work often rapid-fire in pace, passionate in tone and frequently delivered via his trademark walk-and-talk scenes, Sorkin demonstrates a winning way with words unlike anyone else in the business. With Molly's Game, however, he's faced with a new challenge. Sure, he knows how to pen intelligent stories that flow with their own almost-hypnotic rhythm. But does he know how to direct them as well? Like much of Sorkin's output, the success of Molly's Game comes down to the folks doing the talking. Invariably, his wordy scripts shine brightest when they're brought to life by exceptional actors. With a knack for his timing, sharpness and smarts, Jessica Chastain proves a perfect match. Indeed, Molly's Game might have Sorkin's name and stamp all over it, but this is Chastain's picture through and through. Whether she's rattling off skiing and gambling statistics in voiceover, bantering back and forth with her also-excellent co-star Idris Elba, or working poker rooms filled with the rich and famous, she is the movie's true trump card. In her latest impressive performance as a formidable woman in a male-dominated realm (see also: Zero Dark Thirty, A Most Violent Year and Miss Sloane), the two-time Oscar nominee plays Molly Bloom, the real-life former Olympic-level skier turned poker magnate. Stripped of her sporting dream after a horrific accident, Bloom heads to Los Angeles to "be young for a while in warm weather." When she takes on an admin job to pay the bills, she has no idea that she'll also be running her boss' weekly card games. Before long, she's in charge of her own underground gambling empire, and later being chased down by the FBI. Sorkin's film is based on Bloom's tell-all book, Molly's Game: From Hollywood's Elite to Wall Street's Billionaire Boys Club, My High-Stakes Adventure in the World of Underground Poker. That title may be a bit of a mouthful, but it also explains why Sorkin was so attracted to the story (other than a fondness for verbosity). Power, success, the pursuit of both, and the intersection of idealism and corruption are common themes in his other screenplays, and they're all present here. As such, he's in very comfortable territory with a dynamite true tale that's topical, entertaining and filled with astute insights about human psychology and behaviour. Throw a stellar star and a stacked support cast — Michael Cera, Kevin Costner, Chris O'Dowd and even Stranger Things' Joe Keery — into the mix, and Molly's Game must've seemed like an easy winning hand. And it is, almost. In addition to its slick visuals, the film reflects some of Sorkin's best tendencies — a recent Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay is proof of that. Unfortunately it also suffers from some of his worst. Indulgence is one such grating trait, with moments of repetition and near-constant chatter blowing the running time out to 140 minutes. Sentimentality is another, with the writer-director happy to hit hard in his dialogue, but happier still when it comes with a warm glow as well. Still, when Chastain is unleashing her fast-paced narration or trading pithy chatter with Elba, you'll be able to overlook many of the film's flaws. And thankfully, that happens a lot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVMkOuZOMe0
There are more Japanese restaurants in Sydney than you can poke a chopstick at, but newcomer Kid Kyoto stands out from the crowd. Set against the backdrop of the alternative music scene of the 90s — with a generous dash of the 80s — this place is making its own rules and turning up the volume. The Bridge Street venue is the third CBD offering from the culinary guns behind Indu and Méjico, the Sam Prince Hospitality Group. True to form, it's ambitious in both scale and execution. This time around music — grunge, specifically (and lots of Nirvana) — is the headliner. It may not be the conventional way to approach a restaurant but owner Sam Prince is excited by the direction they're taking. "We're not just flirting with the idea of being music-led — it permeates through everything. I want diners to experience the songs and the lyrics almost as ingredients they're eating." Fine tuning this music-led concept into reality might be a stretch for most but not head chef, Seb Gee. You could say his partnering on Kid Kyoto was serendipitous — fate even — given Gee was listening to Rage Against the Machine as he made his way to his trial. "I'm a child of the '90s so when Sam told me the idea for the restaurant, I was like, 'done — that's perfect'." Gee worked with his team of chefs to develop a menu that pays homage to classic Japanese flavours while toying with surprising ingredients and textures. "People aren't going to be getting the usual takes, like sushi, sashimi," he says. A lot of time was spent looking at the fundamentals of Japanese cuisine before "flipping it on its side". Gee describes the cooking at Kid Kyoto as "Japanese with a sprinkle of Nine Inch Nails on top". There's a strong seafood bent too, raw dishes like smoking salmon sashimi and cold squid 'udon' salad pique the taste buds. Meanwhile, the Cloudy Bay clams with bonito schmaltz and roast tomato miso is a nod to Gee's New Zealand and Jewish heritage. To quench your thirst there's a selection of sakes and Japanese whiskeys fit for an emperor. For those more cocktail inclined, the folks from Archie Rose have teamed with Kid Kyoto to develop a bespoke gin, which combines with Noilly Prat and junmai daiginjo sake in the Kid Kyo-tini. The Ama-tonic is a magic muddle of shiso sake, yuzu marmalade and a house-made cherry tonic. The nostalgia extends to the building itself, a heritage-listed site that backs onto the cobbled Bridge Lane in the city. The design evokes a slightly moody izakaya, stripped back walls contrast with hits of neon and burnished Japanese timber. For a closer look inside, check out our long-form feature on Kid Kyoto. Images: Letícia Almeida.
This winter, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia is hosting a major exhibition by celebrated British artist and sculptor Cerith Wyn Evans, his first comprehensive showing of work in the Asia-Pacific. Titled Cerith Wyn Evans .... in light of the visible, the exhibition transforms the MCA's galleries into a shifting, radiant landscape of light, sound and space that evolves with the natural light of Circular Quay. [caption id="attachment_1008799" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Cerith Wyn Evans, Sydney Drift, 2025, installation view, Cerith Wyn Evans …. in light of the visible, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, 2025, image courtesy and © Cerith Wyn Evans, photograph: Hamish McIntosh[/caption] Visitors will be able to walk through and experience the towering neon wall of F=O=U=N=T=A=I=N (2020), the suspended lights of Sydney Drift (2025), sonic installation Composition for 37 Flutes (2018), and site-specific works that react in real-time to the light and sound of Warrane (Sydney Harbour). It's a full sensory experience that invites you to wander around and find something unexpected around every corner. There's also a stack of related events happening over the next few months, including improvised dance and music performances, walking tours through the city, exhibition tours, plus an early morning meditation and Tai Chi experience. The Museum is also open late until 9pm on Saturday June 14. [caption id="attachment_1008798" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Installation view, Cerith Wyn Evans …. in light of the visible, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, 2025, image courtesy and © Cerith Wyn Evans, photograph: Hamish McIntosh[/caption] 'Cerith Wyn Evans …. in light of the visible' is showing at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia until Sunday, October 19. Find out more and book tickets at the MCA Australia website. By Jacque Kennedy Header image: Installation view, 'Cerith Wyn Evans …. in light of the visible', Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, 2025, image courtesy and © Cerith Wyn Evans, photograph: Hamish McIntosh
Anyone can pour orange juice and vodka into a glass and call it a screwdriver. But if you're after a cocktail more sophisticated and complicated than that, that's where top-notch bartenders come in. They're the folks who mix up drinks that you definitely don't feel like you can make at home — or know you have (again, see that OJ and vodka combo) — and they're as crucial a part of hitting a bar as the menu, vibe and company. Australia isn't short on fine folks whipping up brilliant beverages; however, if you're after the best of the best, there's now a rundown naming the country's top 100 bartenders. Consider it your next excuse to work through a boozy list, if you already started 2022 sipping the 100 best brews. Created by global bartending competition Diageo World Class, the Top 100 Australian Bartenders for 2022 list spans every state and territory — with New South Wales particularly well-represented, and Victoria and Queensland as well. Here's another way to think of it: you now have a list of bartenders to seek out on your next few holidays. [caption id="attachment_714471" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cantina OK![/caption] Standouts include folks from Sydney favourites such as Maybe Sammy and Cantina OK!, Melbourne's Nick and Nora's and Black Pearl, and Brisbane's The Gresham and Agnes. This is just part one of the contest, though. From here, these 100 bartenders will compete by mixing up impressive, boundary-pushing tipples at their venues, which'll be available for patrons to sip from Monday, May 30–Monday, June 13. Then, a top five will be announced — also on Monday, June 13 — before finals in July. The winner will be deemed the Diageo World Class Australian Bartender of the Year for 2022, and fly the flag for Aussies at the comp's global final, which is happening here for the first time, in Sydney, between Monday, September 12–Friday, September 16. [caption id="attachment_795641" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Gresham, Millie Tang[/caption] Whoever emerges victorious will take over the title from Evan Stroeve from Sydney's no-waste bar Re, 2021's winner. Here's 2022's full top 100 rundown: DIEGO WORLD CLASS TOP 100 AUSTRALIAN BARTENDERS FOR 2022: NEW SOUTH WALES: Alex Gondzioulis, The Rover Behzad Vaziri, The Star Elisa Rodgrigues, Paloma Wine Bar Hunter Gregory, Maybe Sammy Matthew Dale, Re Ryan Bickley, Cantina OK Siôn Roberts, Re Storm Evans, Cantina OK Sanghyun Park, Will's Wen Wang, Maybe Sammy Albert Rust, Eileen's Bar - Four Pillars Andrew McCorquodale, Charlie Parker's Beaux Donelan, Charlie Parker's Ashley Miller, Blue Kahunas Ben Hardy, Bar Planet Brianna Aboud, Ramblin' Rascal Tavern Chloe Natterer, The Lobo Claudio Bedini, Sammy Junior Daniel Hilton, The Lobo Eduardo Conde, NO 92 GPR Dominic Causley-Todd, Dead Ringer Emma Bernardi, Bar Planet Eoin Kenny, Long Chim Hamish Mitchell, Charlie Parker's Harrison Kenney, Bar Planet Helen Yu, The Lobo James Russell, Apollonia Jenna Hemsworth, The Gidley Koby Harris, Dean and Nancy on 22 Krisztian Csigo, Dean and Nancy on 22 Sara Rinaldo, Dean and Nancy on 22 Sarah Proietti, Maybe Sammy Judith Zhu, KittyHawk Kalisha Glover, Apollonia Kat Scibiorski, Long Chim Kate Gale-Re, The Gidley Michal Wowak, The Gidley Kiaran Bryant, Earl's Juke Joint Liam Gavin, Door Knock Marco Rosati, Grain Bar Samuel McWilliams, The Lobo Thomas Opie, Births and Deaths VICTORIA: Aiden Rodriquez, EDV Melbourne Alejandro Archibald, NOMAD Melbourne Kane Smith, Nick and Nora's Melbourne Darren Leaney, Aru Cameron Parish, Gimlet Elisabetta Luppi, LUI Bar Francesca Camilli, Beneath Driver's Lane James Armstrong, The Cloakroom Bar Josephe Kourmouzis, Above Board Julien Wurtlin, LUI Bar Kayla Saito, Black Pearl Nicola Dean, Black Pearl Max Allison, Good Measure Miriam Wahlhütter, LOVER Nick Tesar, Bar Liberty Olivia Devlin, Capitano Tioni Naslund, LUI Bar Taylor Matthews, Frederic Tom McHugh, Hazel Restaurant QUEENSLAND: Dino Francia, Rosella's Bar Jack Connor, Rosella's Bar Aidan Perkins, Agnes Restaurant Daniella Darakis, The Gresham Edward Quartermass, Maker Ellery Low, Maker Jamie Fleming, Alba Bar & Deli Jenny Wang, Sono Japanese Restaurant Joe Steadman, Alba Bar & Deli Kate Bartlett, Cobbler Bar Liam Murphy, Frogs Hollow Saloon Liam Shepherd, Bar Brutus Martin McConnell, Frogs Hollow Saloon Peter Hollands, Frogs Hollow Saloon WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Dyllan Balm, Foxtrot Unicorn Max Guidice, Republic of Fremantle Nicola Herbert, Foxtrot Unicorn Shirley Yeung, Foxtrot Unicorn Samuel Cocks, Bar Rogue SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Al Simmons, Maybe Mae Alfonso Lizana, Maybe Mae Anabel Rowe, Long Story Short Georgia Edmonds, Maybe Mae Grace Rawlins, Memphis Slim's House of Blues Jack Somers, Memphis Slim's House of Blues Talis Heggart, Memphis Slim's House of Blues Michael Keogh, Memphis Slim's House of Blues Lachlan Gunner, Long Story Short Oscar Butler, Maybe Mae TASMANIA: Rachel Mynczywor, Rude Boy Rohan Massie, Rude Boy Hobart Jack Turner, Void Bar at Mona Mateo Ortiz, The Den Salamanca NORTHERN TERRITORY: Anneliese Grazioli, Hanky Panky Lounge Katerina Kosta, Hanky Panky Lounge Matt Zarimis, Smoke and Oak Darwin ACT: Cameron Abercrombie, Zaab Street Food Jack Sandeman, Zaab Street Food Liv Kelly, Bar Rochford For more information about Diego World Class, head to the competition's website. Top image: Maybe Sammy, Paolo Maffietti.
Now restaurants, bars and cafes are back in full swing, we'll take any excuse to eat out — especially when that excuse involves hunting down some of Sydney's best dishes. While mains are normally the star of the meal, we find sometimes the entrees steal the show. We've teamed up with American Express to bring you a list of our city's most epic starters and sides. These dishes are so tasty they're almost worth the restaurant booking alone, from melt-in-your-mouth bone marrow in the CBD to Big Mac-inspired dumplings in Manly. You'll want to tick this list off one by one.
In 1978, modernist photographer Max Dupain left Australian shores for his first trip to Europe. His mission? To capture architect Harry Seidler’s Australian Embassy, constructed the year before. The two had become friends over their shared passion for form and light. Dupain spent time exploring Paris’s many monuments and architectural features, taking photographs that varied from formal compositions playing with scale, such as a shot of Napoleon’s state on Les Invalides balcony, to candid portraits. Now, for the first time ever, 21 of those images will be revealed to the public. Dupain originally gave them to Seidler, accompanied by a handwritten note stating, “I owe you so much. For nearly twenty-five years I have dwelt on your philosophy of architecture. We register alike about clear thinking, logic of application, poetry of form, etc etc. [sic].” Penelope Seidler donated the photos to the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 2012. In addition to the Paris private portfolio, 15 of Dupain’s architecturally and botanically inspired photographs will be shown, mostly taken around Sydney and covering a 50-year span of his career.
Chocolate is one of those wonderful, universally indulgent things that is difficult to beat for comfort or a treat. 2019 has seen the creation of the epic Meltdown Artisan, the brainchild of Jen Lo, formerly of north shore dessert haven Bakedown Cakery. With her new space dedicated entirely to experimenting with chocolate, Lo runs chocolate making workshops alongside a shop floor stacked with sugary goodies. You'll find indulgent and creative interpretations of cocoa-based goodies — think saffron barberry, yuzu ginger apple and wakame sea salt. The chocolates, which come both in block form or creative shapes (think koalas, robots or snowmen) are great for gifts — even if they're for yourself. The interestingly titled face bark, a white chocolate slab designed for customers to print images of their choice upon, is a standout. Vegan and dairy-free options are also available in a wide variety of interesting and tasty flavours, meaning there's something for everyone at this sweet new Darlinghurst hangout.
